Firewood from cut trees is used as fuel on a daily basis. Whether the fire is for heating, lighting, general ambience or the like in a home or at a campsite, wood remains a viable option for many due to its low cost and the fact that it is a renewable resource. One item that must be considered when using firewood in a stove or small fireplace, however, is that it must be cut to fit. While many people resort to using a handsaw to cut the wood down, it is a tedious and strenuous process. Some people resort to using a chainsaw, but this results in wasted wood due to the large curve cut of the chainsaw. Additionally, the wood must be held while cutting it down, which is not only a huge safety consideration, but also can result in back stress and strain should it be placed on the ground.
Solving the problem as described above, the unique apparatus is a portable, vehicle-towed cut-off saw for firewood. It is used to cut down regular length firewood into pieces that can be used in a stove or smaller fireplace. The invention is mounted on a steel frame with two wheels and a trailer tongue that allows it to be towed by a vehicle such as an automobile, truck or all-terrain vehicle (ATV). The invention is powered mechanically by an on board four cylinder gasoline engine which provides power via a series of belts and pulleys. The pulleys drive a large 30″ diameter circular saw blade which pivots from the bottom of a large feed table. The invention will cut wood up to 12″ in diameter with one pass. The saw blade is protected by a retractable guard and is only exposed when cutting the wood. The invention can be towed directly to the cutting or piling site and is easily moved and operated by one person. The use of the innovative method and apparatus allows for the cutting of firewood into smaller pieces using production cutting methods in a manner which is not only quick, easy and effective, but safer and less fatiguing as well.
Several attempts have been made in the past to provide an apparatus that effectively cuts cord wood into a more manageable size for firewood in a portable trailer or vehicle, thereby assisting the user in providing such a cutter directly at the location of the cord wood to be cut. U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,886 in the name of Seid et al., discloses a wood cutter and loader for cutting tree length material or logs into pulpwood, saw logs, and the like. The wood cutter and loader includes framework supporting a plurality of conveying and feeding chains, and a spring-loaded latch assembly associated with the saws. Unfortunately, the Seid et al. device utilizes a conveying mechanism whereas the present invention utilizes a manual feed system and a manually-operated saw frame pivot assembly associated with the saw blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,057, in the name of Falk, teaches a tree processing machine that delimbs the tree, feeds the delimbed tree through a machine that cuts the tree into logs of burning size, stacks the cut wood, and bales the stacks. The Falk device is an all-inclusive device that combines many technologies of wood processing whereas the present invention merely handles the cutting of logs into more manageable sizes on a portable trailer.
Additional patents have been issued dealing with the cutting and splitting of logs or felled trees, namely U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,873, issued in the name of Weeks; U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,171, issued in the name of Spaulding, Sr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,242, issued in the name of Smith et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,852, issued in the name of Rogers; U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,404, issued in the name of Kraemer et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,774, issued in the name of Seckel.
None of the prior art particularly describes a portable trailer-mounted wood cutting apparatus driven by a motor and a belt-and-pulley system. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which firewood can be quickly and easily cut down in size for use in stoves and small fireplaces without the disadvantages as listed above.